Incense burner



L. CAMPAGN A IN CENSE BURNER Oct. 16, 1962 Filed Jan. 7, 1959 INVENTOR.Lours CQm esA/q.

BY M WW M v-% QTTOEi/EYS- United States Patent Gfifice 3,058,178Patented Oct. 16, 1962 3,058,178 INCENSE BURNER Louis Campagua, 6342Waldron St., Pittsburgh 17, Pa. Filed Jan. 7, 1959, Ser. No. 785,481 1Claim. ((31. 21-116) This invention relates to portable incense burnersparticularly adapted for use in religious ceremonies.

In Catholic churches, for example, incense is burned in portablereceptacles, carried by a server or altar boy; during certainceremonies. The usual practice in such use has been to place burningcharcoal in a portable receptacle provided with holes in the wall topermit air to pass to the charcoal to keep it burning and to permitescape of incense fumes. Incense is placed over the burning coal toproduce the fumes. These burners are periodically swung back and forthon a carrying chain, by the server or altar boy, during a mass or otherceremony. The incense is usually held in a removable metal cup seated onthe burning coals.

Such burners become very hot on the outer surface, making itinconvenient to handle them for refilling, etc., and it is diflicult tosecure and regulate the heat to produce the desired amount of fumes, andno more. Sometimes the charcoal will burn too fast, thus unduly heatingthe incense, and sometimes the charcoal may cease to burn or beconsumed, requiring that the unit be refilled with burning charcoal atan inconvenient time. After using, both the burned incense and the ashfromthe charcoal have to be removed. There is some incon- 2 venience incleaning the ashes from the usual forms of burners.

" By the present invention the use of charcoal is eliminated. Theincense is heated to the smoldering point by means of a heating unitenergized by an ordinary electrical current such as that generallyavailable in modern buildings. Its use as here described does not entaildanger of fire, or other hazards, and avoids some of the difficultiesnow experienced in the usual type of burner. The heat from my unit maybe regulated to secure and maintain the desired rate of heating of theincense. The heating unit is insulated to prevent any substantial heat-Gfthe outside of the burner.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide a portableincense burner not employing burning charcoal, or fire of any kind,thereby avoiding coal ash; that will be comparatively cool on itsexterior; and that may be easily cleaned. It may be made with attractiveexterior appearance, of any desired size and shape, of sheet metal orcastings. It is capable of quickly providing the proper degree of heatto produce incense fumes, and may be adjusted to maintain the desiredheating of the incense throughout a substantial period of time, whilepreventing overheating.

Another object is to make it possible to pour incense directly into theburner, without removing the top of the burner, or the incense retainingcup. Other conveniences and advantages will appear from the followingspecification.

Referring to the drawings, a central vertical section is shown of oneform of the entire incense burner.

A carrying hand ring 1 is attached to a top-removing chain 2 and aplurality of chains 3. Chain 2 is attached to a ring 4 at the top of thehood 5 of the burner. Chains 3 pass through openings in the hood 5 andare attached at their lower ends to body member 6 of the burner. Thehood 5 and body member 6 may be spun of sheet metal, or cast. Preferablythey are spun from sheet metal. The hood has a plurality of perforations7 to permit escape of the fumes caused by the heated incense. The hood 5has a terminal bead 8 adapted to be seated loosely on the main bodymember 6, which has a retaining raised flange or bead 9, adapted toretain the terminal beaded lip 8 of the hood 5. By this means the hoodcan be readily seated on or lifted from the body member by the 5 chain2.

An electrical heating unit consists of a circular block 10 having castor otherwise enclosed in it a resistance wire 11. Such units are wellknown and commercially available in convenient sizes.

The heating unit block 10 may be of suitable ceramic material, butpreferably is of cast aluminum. Positioned inside the block 10 is acoiled high resistance wire 11 such as normally used for heatingelements of stoves, kitchen utensils, and the like. The resistanceheating wire before being cast in the metal block 10 is, of course,surrounded by suitable insulating coating to prevent shortcircuiting.When cast or otherwise positioned in a ceramic block that coating is notnecessary.

Positioned in any suitable place in contact with the heating unit is anadjustable make-and-break thermostat 12 having a key 13 by which thethermostat may be set to break the circuit through the heating wire whenthe heating block 10 has reached the desired temperature, and to closethe circuit when the heat falls below a predetermined point, i.e.,temperature necessary to cause the incense to produce fumes.

A standard electrical socket terminal 14 is fastened to the wall ofcasing 6 and is adapted to receive a standard push-in plug 15 havinglead wires 16 extending to a constant source of electrical power ofstandard voltage, such as used for electrical lighting.

The details of the thermostat are not here described since such devicesare available on the market in different sizes and arrangements, andtheir construction, operation, and functioning is well known.

As shown in the drawing, the heating block 10 is seated on an asbestosor similar insulating disc 17 suitable for minimizing the escape of heatfrom the underside of the heating unit.

The main casing 6 has an outwardly flared downwardly extending skirtportion 21 with an open base having a terminal ornamental head 22.Inside this skirt is an insulating sleeve 23 which may be attached tothe inside of the skirt 21. The upper edge of sleeve 23 helps sup portthe insulating disc 17 on which the heating unit 10 rests.

Seated on the disc 17 and surrounding the heating unit is an insulatingcylindrical sleeve 25.

The base unit 6 has its upper terminal edge turned in to form ahorizontal flange 26 upon which rests a second cylindrical insulatingsleeve 27.

A metal cup 28 has an outwardly extending edge flange 29 adapted to seaton the flange 26, inside insulating sleeve 27.

Fastened to the inner wall of the hood member 5, is a funnel member 30having its terminal open spout 31 leading into the cup 28.

Chains 3 lead from the carrying ring 1 through holes in the hood 5 andare attached at their lower end to the base member 6 by fixed rings 33,as shown at the left middle of the drawing. Chain 2 is attached to thecarrying ring 1 and also to the hood 5 by ring 4.

The wall of hood 5 is indented and perforated at three places equallyspaced about the hood, to form feed openings 40, leading into the funnel30. The lower portion of these indentations is cut away so that incensecan be poured into the funnel 30 and hence into the cup 28 which isseated on the heating block 10.

The insulating members 23, 17, 25 and 27 may be made of any suitableheat insulating material, for example, asbestos composition of fibreglass fabric. They are of a thickness to prevent any material amount ofheat from passing from the heating unit to the outside of the casings,or to the support on which the incense burner may be placed when heatedbut not being carried.

By the construction shown all parts may be assembled or disassembledeasily. The burner may be light in weight, easily handled, and easilycleaned. The exterior may be of ornamented form and decoration. Theoverall shape is not critical. The outside will not become uncomfortablyhot to the touch, regardless of continued use. Incense may be addedthrough the openings 40 without removing the hood. A metal foil liningmay be used inside the cup to facilitate cleaning and removal of ashes.

In operation, the cup 28 is seated on the heating unit, the desiredamount of incense is put in it, and the plug 15 is inserted in socket14. This heats the block 10 to the point where the incense is caused tosmolder and give off fumes. The burner is then ready for use. The plug15 may then be disconnected. If the incense is ignited before the burneris to be used, the thermostat will break the circuit to preventoverheating. the block 10 is sufiicient to cause continuous smolderingof the incense for a substantial'period, sufficient for all normalcontinuous use. When the burner is not being used, it may be reconnectedto the heating current and The residual heat of so be kept ready forintermittent use at a later period. I

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained theprinciple of my invention and have illustrated and described whatI nowconsider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have itunderstood that, within the scope of the appended claim, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated anddescribed.

I claim:

A portable incense burner adapted to be carried in religious ceremoniescomprising an overall casing having a removable hood portion and a baseportion, an electrical heating unit positioned inside the base portion,a removable metal incense-retaining cup seated on the heating unit, thehood having perforations for escape of fumes, a funnel mounted insidethe hood, the funnel having a spout adapted to feed incense into thecup, the hood having openings through which incense may be poured intothe cup through the funnel, and means for connecting and disconnectingthe heating unit to a source of electrical current.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS721,133 Ahne Feb. 24, 1903 1,446,310 Lehman Feb. 20, 1923M" 1,801,538Briscoe Apr. 21, 1931 1,824,055 Newton Sept. 22, 1931

